Shield upgrades

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I was looking for a carry gun for my 19 year old daughter and came across the M&P Shield 1.0. I loved this gun so much that I bought 2 2.0 Shields. One for me and one for my wife. I have already put a ct laser on mine. The ladies didn't like the grip with a laser so I kept it. I have been looking around for the best upgrades for both generations besides
the laser. I know the trigger on the 1.0 is lacking so is it better to replace with a trigger spring kit or the actual trigger as well? Is there a trigger for the 2.0 out there going to make a large enough difference to justify $160 upgrade? Are aftermarket "match barrells" really worth it? If so which ones are the best?
 
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First of all welcome to the forum. I currently own three 1.0 Shields, two in 9mm and one in .40. As far as upgrades I would suggest shooting the pistol for awhile to see if you really need or want to upgrade anything. If you do decide to change something one of the first is usually the sights. Some of the ones I personally like are TruGlo, Trijicon HD, Ameriglo, and XS Big Dots. As far as triggers, Apex is the primary for the M&P. I usually leave the trigger stock in my carry gun. If the grip on the 1.0 is too slick a set of Talon grips are in order. I like the pinky base plate on my 7 round magazine that is made by NDZPerformance. Magguts also makes a good magazine extension for the Shield. The slide one the Shield can be hard to rack so I installed a TacRack slide racker on the wife's Shield. I hope this helps and gives you some ideas.
 
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Upgraded my Shield 40 to Truglo TFO sights. Would put them on every handgun I have if they made them and I could afford it. I added the Hogue slip on grip to mine. The grip was too narrow and slick for my taste. You have to "shoe horn" the Hogue on it, but it really makes the grip nice and it stays put.

Rosewood
 
Tru-Glo TFO sights on every M&P I have.
My Shield has a Streamlight TRL-6, a 100 lumen light and a laser for less than $100. Added Talon grip decal to my .40, and bought a 9mm barrel for it.
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The 9mm Shield I gave to my daughter is set up the same way.
My Shield triggers were fine the way they are, especially the .45 Shield.
 
Had the gunsmith at my LGS smooth out the internals on my Gen 1 9c and Shield. Don't know how they'd match up to an Apex conversion, sure did make the stock trigger a lot smoother.
 
No internal work on a SD/HD pistol for me.

Night sights, MagGuts +2 in two factory 8 round mags so I can carry 21 rounds in a small package.

I just picked up a LaserMax light/laser combo for it but haven’t installed it yet as I’m waiting on a holster I ordered for the combo.

You don’t need trigger work and match barrels in a short barrel carry gun, in my opinion.
 
I put the Apex trigger in my 9mm Shield 1.0, no other mods. It has been 100% reliable with any ammo I use and amazingly accurate. I shoot in an informal match each month, 15 yards on a standard NRA bullseye target. When I do my part, the Shield will put all ten rounds in the ten ring. Plenty good for a 3” carry pistol!
 
Sights. I used Ameriglo I-Dots. First did a trigger job and then put in an Apex duty/carry kit, the way to go if you don't mind the expense. mine is a 1-0 so I put a Talon Grip on it as well. Plan on keeping it or not getting the money back out of it if you decide to sell later but all of the upgrades are worth the money and transform the little pistol.
 
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Everyone is unique. What suits one person may not suit another. Is there one eye popping, difference making, improvement? Completely in the eye of the beholder.

To me, the apex trigger kit made noticeable difference in the 9mm Shield, and it sure didn't cost $160. The Shield 45s only needed some polishing and the Apex trigger. They all wear Ameriglo I-Dots and have stainless steel one piece guide rods. Matched with the right ammo, they are very accurate, by my standard, and shoot point of aim with both reloads and factory SD ammo.

Note I said "by my standard" when referring to accuracy. Your standard will dictate what changes are eventually made, according to your abilities. There are no magic fixes to poor technique or trigger control other than training and practice.
 
Ugh! I tried putting that grip sleeve once. It's still in the box.
LOL! Oh yeah.. I followed the instructions and got nowhere. Then gave the task to hubby, and lost track of how many times he cursed it. But he prevailed, and it was worth the effort, since now the Shield stays planted in my hand.

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I would ask how much shooting have you done with these guns? What kind of performance are you getting with your guns?

I would suggest that you really look at how much shooting you've done and what kind of performance you're getting before looking into any kind of custom modifications. When considering some kind of modification, ask yourself, "What problem/issue is this addressing?"

I'm not against doing custom work on a carry gun, but I think it's best to have a good idea of what you want to achieve. Speaking from experience, I've had custom work done on a 1911 before I really knew what I wanted/needed. While the results were satisfactory, the gun would likely be better off if I had given it some thought before modifying it for the sake of modifying it.

With that said...

As was mentioned, sights and grips are a good place to start. I prefer simple sights. Either plain black, plain black rear/colored front, or plain black rear/tritium front. I think night sights can be useful, but don't believe they're essential. That said, my EDC PX4 Compact has a plain black rear sight with an orange and tritium front sight.

If the grips are less than satisfactory, there are options. Stippling can be good, but it's also permanent. I'm a fan of Talon Grips. I think they're effective without adding much bulk. Slip-on grips can be useful, but my experience with them is limited.

You mentioned the trigger. It's fine to have a trigger job done, but again, is it really going to be enough to improve your performance? Now, if the trigger pull is gritty, or maybe extraordinarily heavy, some minimal work to smooth and lighten can be effective. Personally, I'm not a fan of spring kits, but I know they can be helpful for some people. 3 suggestions for the trigger: 1) safety must not be compromised, 2) reliability must not be compromised, and 3) keep the trigger pull within factory specs.

Regarding match barrels...

For the most part, I don't believe they're necessary on a defensive pistol. Most people who don't shoot guns for a living, myself included, can't shoot a factory barreled gun to it's full potential, let alone a match barrel. Any difference in resulting accuracy is likely to be insignificant for us mere mortals. One possible exception I can think of is if the factory barrel is just so loose that it negatively impacts reliability and/or shootability. Having a match barrel fitted could fix that, but so could properly installing/fitting a regular factory barrel.

Now, if you just have to have a match barrel, regardless of whatever benefit it may or may not provide, make sure safety and reliability aren't compromised.

TL;DR: Custom modifications are best made when they address actual problems/issues one may have with a particular gun.

Just my opinion.
 
So I can convert my 9mm to a .40 by buying a .40 barrell and nothing else?
 
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